


Finding Your Way Back

by withthehungercatchers



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Future Fic, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-24 00:12:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12000858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withthehungercatchers/pseuds/withthehungercatchers
Summary: It's been four years since Max last saw Camp Camp. He's eighteen now and the last thing he wants to do is to spend his summer at that camp again. Yet, when a death of a platypus causes a Camp Camp reunion, he decides to go and see what everyone is up to. Only if he knew that stepping onto the ground would cause him to work for David and maybe even fall for a wild, green haired girl.





	1. The Stamp

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Welcome to my first Camp Camp fic. I just want to let you guys know that this includes TW: slight abuse, drinking, and swearing. If you're not comfortable with this, please click off! Happy reading.

There are only a few things sacred in this world: newborn babies, love at first sight, marriage, and sleeping in during the summer. It was a joyous summer morning, by which I mean 11 a.m., and the dark haired boy laid sound asleep. His room was a mess of clothes, homemade weapons, a hidden basket of knitting supplies, and a tuned guitar. Max was a renaissance man, even at ten. But that was almost eight years ago. Max, seventeen now, snorted and flipped over. So peaceful. That’s not right.

“Wake up! Are you going to waste your life like you do with your mornings?” Max’s mom screamed through the door.

Max had adjusted to the screams of his parents. Luckily he added a lock to his door so they don’t barge in on him in the morning (this came in handy during his *questionable* searches in the midday). But that did not stop his parents from slamming, screaming, or even throwing things at his door.

Max slowly got up, plaid pajama pants and an indie band shirt, and meekly unlocked his door. He waited until he could not hear footsteps and finally made his way out of his room. He smelled his mother cooking while taking his time to meet his parents in the kitchen. If it’s a good day, his father will be already in his ‘mood’ and watching sports. If it’s a bad day, well the house would already be up in flames.

“Max, why don’t you ever take care of yourself? You’re a mess.” His mother quipped. Her judging eyes looked him up and down a dozen times.

Max was too tired to make up some insult so he waited for any scraps to be thrown to him; usually burnt toast or runny eggs. His mother continued to nag him on all things that is Max: hair, clothes, even the symmetry of his face. Max checked his phone for messages from his friends. Not  _ those  _ friends though. Max hasn’t talked to them since he was fourteen, but that wasn’t anyone's fault.

“Mail.” Max’s father entered the house and slammed the door; the whole house rumbled with the force.

Max’s father entered the small kitchen, making no attempt to have eye contact with his family, and threw envelopes onto the table. Max’s mother picked up the pile, reading off as follows: bills, bills, subscriptions, bills, letter-.

“Who is sending you a letter?” Her eyes darted to Max with disgust.

“I don’t fucking know,” Max’s father slammed a cabinet. “Who sends letters anymore.”

His mother threw the letter in his face and returned to her cooking. Max rolled his eyes watching his father lift a sixpack out of the fridge and leave for the living room. His green eyes scanned the letter, the writing looked so familiar. That’s when he saw the stamp.

“ _ Fuck.” _

Max ran to his room with the letter in his hand, locking the door so no one would bother him. Max ripped open the envelope, tearing the Sleepy Peak stamp in the process. Inside was a letter that was written on Camp Camp stationary, the kind they gave him every week to write to his parents. Of course Max never sent a letter.

_ Dear Camp Campbell Camper Max! _

_ I have the sad news that our precious mascot, the mighty platypus, has passed away this summer. We (Gwen included!!!) will be hosting a funeral June 19th. We are hoping all our campers will be able to make it to this event. Bring your old camp shirt for old times sake! I can’t wait to see you again Max! _

_ Love,  _   
_ David _

The letter followed with a picture of David, Max, Nikki, and Neil. Max’s heart twinged a little when he saw the letter. He also cringed at the amount of ‘xoxo’ written below David’s name.  _ The man is 32 can he give it up!?  _ Max did not give any fucks about the goddamn platypus, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt?

_ FUCK THAT! _

Max hated that place with a burning passion; everyday he tried to escape the wasteland with no avail. Memories of his escapades with Nikki and Neil swarmed his brain, but that only made him angry. Once Max left Camp Camp, they never tried to make contact with him ever again. It’s like he never existed, no one cared. Max threw the letter onto his messy desk still angry about his so called friends for abandoning him. They knew his home was a hell hole, why would they let him leave?

Max remembered his last day at Camp Camp. The trio were planning an epic game of fire basketball, only to be intervened by David. But it wasn’t like the previous times. David was not smiling, nor was he trying to preach comradery and Campbell etiquette, he seemed genuinely worried.

“Max, your parents are here.” David’s voice wavered.

It was only two weeks into camp, they haven’t even had the chance to fully unpack their belongings. Max laughed at him and made a comment about his deadbeat parents don’t give two shits about him. That’s when they approached from the Mess Hall, ferociously angry.

“What the fuck...why? Why-” Max’s father grabbed him by the arm.

“We’re taking your ass home.” His rough voice made them flinch.

“You can’t just do that!” Nikki screamed, jumping to save Max.

Max’s father did not hesitate to punch Nikki away sending her to the ground. Neil helped Nikki up while Max was being dragged away. Max screamed for help, almost begging, while David watched with tears in his eyes.

“David you asshole! Do something!” Max screamed.

David threw his head down, escorting Nikki and Neil to their tents. Max went limp as his parents threw him in the back of the car. For hours they screamed at him, threatened to beat him until he was dead, they even swore to make his life a living hell. Max never knew why they arrived at Camp. He never bothered to ask.

Max shook himself to present time, flustered by all the emotions going back to him. It was so out of character for him to cry, but that first night back home he cried himself to sleep. That was probably the last time Max let himself cry. His eyes settled back on the picture, he would never admit it but he missed them. Even David, fucking David.

_ I’m going to fucking regret this.  _ Max started to type away on his phone to find buses to Sleepy Peak, June 19th was only three days away. Max bought his tickets with absolute resentment towards himself. He began to rummage through his closet, pulling every last piece of clothing he owned until he found his old mustard yellow camp shirt. He sighed heavily and threw it onto his bed.

_ Well fuck, I’m going back to Camp. _

 


	2. Old Best Friends

Max was tired, hungry, and just ultimately irritated. The bus ride seemed longer than when he was a kid, or maybe Quartermaster was become senile. Yes, that old bag of bones and shit is still walking around. Max thought he was close to pushing daisies when he was ten, but goddamn he’s still up and walking. Quartermaster didn’t make any acknowledgment to him, just a gesture. 

“Do you even remember me?” Max yelled from the middle of the bus. 

“Fuck off.” 

Max slouched back in his seat with his headphones in, listening to whatever spotify chose for him. His eyes scanned the woods, images of adventures and disasters came to life in his head: saving the camp from the cultist leader Daniel, competing against the Woodscouts and Flowerscouts, and a day that will forever live in his mind. 

It was when he was about thirteen, still going to summer camp because of his negligent parents, but resenting it less. The Woodscouts somehow made it onto the camp, leaving bear traps and slip ropes for the campers to become vulnerable. Most of the camp was trapped, including David and Gwen who were buried in the dirt. Max, Neil, and Nikki were trying to make their escape and find help, but Neil fell through a hidden trap and fell down a hole. 

“Neil!” Nikki stopped for a split second. 

“We have no time Nikki!”

Max grabbed her hands and booked it for the woods, they were barely ten feet from the camp when a rope entangled them by their ankles. They were swung up into a tree upside down, blood rushing to their faces. 

“My brain is going to explode!” Nikki screamed. “I kinda like it.” 

“Nikki this is not time for that. We need to break out of this.” Max thrashed around like a fish out of water. 

Max struggled and tried to flip around to untie the rope around his ankles, but that turned into a failure. This caused the rope to tie tighter and spin them around, entangled and placed face to face. Max became confused as his felt his face became bright red and and his heart pumped. Max had never been nervous in front of Nikki, they’ve been friends since they were ten, but it was different.  _ Damn puberty body!  _

Max was shook from his daydream by the bus making a surprising stop; Max fell forward off the seat and landed harshly. Quartermaster made no attempt to help Max, not like he’s ever shown concern years ago. Max grabbed his things from his seat and walked off the bus. Oh god it was just like he remembered it.

The camp was still shitty as ever, dirty and broken down with the smell of depression in the air. Max groaned audibly, he made a mistake. He did not want to be here at all. 

“Max? Is that you?” Max cringed at a male voice. 

David came running from the mess hall, wrapping his dangly arms around Max. Max was now the same height as David, maybe a centimeter shorter. It was so strange to see David older, his face was still bright with joy, but his hair was cut in a more mature way; almost in an homage to Cameron Campbell, but slightly shorter. 

“I can’t believe you came! I always knew you had the heart of a Campbell camper-”

“Shut up David. I came to see how shitty the camp still is.” Max pushed him away and threw his bag over his shoulder. 

“Max, language,” David sighed. “As you can see the camp is better than ever! Even Gwen has warmed up to Camp Campbell.”

As David said this, Gwen ran from the mess hall with a child that was lit on fire. They both screamed and ran for the lake. Max could hear Gwen asking for sweet death, but it was drowned out by the boyish screams and smell of burning flesh. 

“Sure, now just show me where to put my stuff.” 

“Maaaaax, you forgot to do the Camp Campbell saute!” David stressed as his body sprung into saluting position.    
“Yeah fuck that.” 

David hunched over while groaning about camp spirit; never once did Max salute that ridiculous flag. David guided Max to the newly built cabins, which were definitely not there when Max was a camper. It was in good condition, but the furniture was obviously cheap or created at the camp. 

“How the hell did this dump afford this?” Max threw his bags on one of the beds. 

“Amazing question Max! You see when our great found Cameron Campbell suddenly disappeared on his fabulous adventure-”

“He got arrested didn’t he.” 

“Yeah,” David slouched again. “BUT because of some digging around for evidence, we found 800,000 dollars in the camp! So we made some renovations.” 

Max scoffed. How could they have so much money but still keep this place in the dumps? It’s still filthy, broken down, and probably still serving slop twice a week. 

“Is anyone else here?” Max unpacked his things onto the bed. 

“Yes-a-roo! Some of your best friends are here!” 

Max rolled his eyes at David; he did not have best friends here. He didn’t have best friends at home. Max was the lone wolf and was happy about it. Or what Max considered the closest emotion to happiness. 

“Come on Max! Let’s go greet our friends!”

David pulled Max firmly by the arm, guiding him to the mess hall. There wasn’t the usual sound of screaming, bones breaking, and bombs going off, which means campers were not eating in there. The doors swung open to reveal a group of familiar faces. 

“Max? Is that you?” Neil astonishedly asked. 

Neil has always towered over Max, but goddamn was he tall. He was still lanky and had his signature jewfro, but he just seemed more mature. He was dressed nicely with slacks and a tucked in shirt. 

“Neil? I guess you never stopped being a dork.” Max took a seat next to him. 

“Fuck you Max. You look so different.” 

Max never realized it but he guess he did. His hair was slightly longer and now covered his forehead in messy curls, no longer was it a puffball on his head but now more of a mop. Max has also buffed up a little, exercise was certainly his escape from his shithole family. He also had a tattoo on his shoulder of henna-like symbol. 

“Yeah that’s what puberty can do to you.” Max shrugged and saw who else was there. 

Nurf was sitting across from Neil, now taller but still as bulky as he was before. His hair was long and put into a man bun and he had a thick beard. There was several tattoos on his arms and hands. Next to him was Preston, dressed a little more casually, but had a thespian stitch on his silk shirt. His hair was longer and slicked back with style. 

“What’s up turd.” Nurf blankly asked, eating some burnt bacon. 

“Wow are we still ten,” Max shot back. “What’s up with your man bun?” 

“My boyfriend says it brings out my feature. You have a problem with it? Is it because I’m gay!” Nurf yelled angrily. 

“Shut up Nurf, no one cares if you’re gay.” 

Nurf glared at Neil and continued to eat his bacon. 

“Oh so you ask what I have been up to?” Preston said suddenly. 

“Uh no-”

“I have been in over thirty community production, five different theatre houses, and I’m an official thespian. My resume is quite successful. I am also go to NYU.” Preston listed off his many achievements to which no one gave a shit for. 

David zipped by with his usual terrifying smile. He was obviously too excited by the campers coming back to even function at this point. Max pitied him, his life was revolved around a stupid summer camp. What does David do the rest of the year? Probably has wet dreams about the camp. 

“Hello Campbell Campers! I am happy to see many of our friends will be arriving very soon! Nerris, Harrison, and Space Kid are almost here.” David cheered in excitement to no one's pleasure. 

“David, no one gives a fuck.” Max snapped then looked to Neil, “Is Nikki coming?” 

Neil shrugged and continued to talk to Preston about achievements; Preston would brag about theatre, Neil would brag about scholarships and awards. Nurf was eating an endless supply of bacon. Max wished to see Nikki, as she was one of the few people he actually liked at this camp. 

“I’m gonna take a walk.” Max huffed. His mind was clouded.

He decided to take his usual route around the camp, going around the mess hall, to the docks, and a small hike into the forest. When the camp became too much of an annoyance for him, he decided to clear his head by taking in nature. Now Max most definitely hated this hellhole, but it did provide a somewhat comfortable escape sometimes. 

Max was passing by the water when something didn’t feel right. The water was still gross as ever, but something was off. He stared down the island, memories of the elderly orgy flowed back and made him cringe. Maybe it was the lack of kids? Max assumed the kids were doing their activities. 

In the midst of his thoughts there was a sudden rush of gravity towards Max - and by gravity I mean someone had tackled him to the ground. Max struggled to see what jumped on him, but it smelled like berries and vanilla; it was slightly intoxicating but also terrifying. Max opened his eyes to see fluffy green hair and a dazzling smile.  _ DAMN IT PUBERTY BODY!  _


	3. Pleasantly Sad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeey. I haven't posted in a while. Sorry. I have the chapter after this one finished too so please don't be so mad! I've had a hard time with school and family. I am back, so don't worry!

“Nik?” Max groaned as he did just hit the ground fairly hard.

  
“Max! I missed you.” Nikki laughed and hugged him tightly.

  
Max pushed her away on instinct, most times he was touched was his mother slapping his hand or his father punching him. Max gazed at Nikki, completely complexed by her complete makeover from when they were fourteen. Nikki’s green fluffs had been plaited into a beautiful braid that lined her face perfectly. Her overalls had been replaced with a red form-fitting T-shirt and high waisted shorts. Max felt an uncomfortable warming coming to his cheeks.

“Nikki, you look so different.” Max was lost for words.

  
“I should say the same thing to you! You look so...rustic.” Nikki laughed and helped him up.

“Thanks, I guess?” Max shrugged while turning his face to the water.

Max was still pissed about the years of no contact, but he longed for the friendship he gained at this camp. Memories of the gang fighting off the dangerous animals and campers flowed back to him.

“Isn’t it great? It’s like we never left.” Nikki laughed. She picked up a rock and skipped it across the lake.

“Some of us didn’t have a choice,” Max mumbled.

Before Nikki could respond, Max walked solemnly back to the Mess Hall. Nikki watched him intently, wanting to say something but decided against it. Surely anything she would say would just make it worse.  
Nikki followed Max back to the rest of the past campers, greeting them happily with her usual animalistic hello. Nerris, Harrison, and Space Kid finally arrived with full enthusiasm. Nerris looked practically the same except for the fact her hair had fuller curls than when she was a child. Harrison sat next to her, looking as if he was frozen in time as his appearance did not change. Only a little bit of scruff on his chin and a major growth spurt of course. Space Kid smiled intensely at Max and Nikki, greeting them with giant hugs. He was wearing a NASA shirt and his hair was shaved into a buzz cut. His cheeks were a pinkish color and he was still shorter than the rest of the campers.

“I can’t believe you all came back to this shit hole.” Max sneered, taking a seat next to Nikki and Neil.

“You’re here too Max so don’t act all high and mighty,” Neil replied bitterly. Neil did not want to be here but felt the obligation like everyone else.

“Yeah, Max why are you here?” Space Kid asked obliviously. “You left us.”

It seemed like the only people who knew the truth besides Max was Nikki, Neil, and David. This made Max uncontrollably angry. How dare they say he abandoned them! Max suffered for years, wishing he was back at this camp. Max wanted to participate in the god-awful activities than getting his ass whooped every summer.

Max slammed his fists on the table startling everyone.

“Can it Space Kid or I swear to god I will shove your fa-”

“MAAAAAX!” David’s screeched into the Mess Hall.

“Can it David! I’m going to my room.” Max hurdled himself off the seat and furiously stomped out of the building.

Max muttered to himself about how much he hated it here. He came to the conclusion that maybe home was better than this place. At least at home he has a lock on the door and a liquor store down the street. Max slammed the door behind him and threw his body onto the bed. His fists met the pillows forcefully, causing feathers to fly into the air.

“I hate my life...I hate this godforsaken life.” Max huffed continuing to wail onto the pillows. “I wish I could just-ughhhh.”

He didn’t know what he wanted to do. Die? Runaway? Move to a different country? Max had no idea. He just didn’t want to be around his parents, David, Neil, or anyone for that matter! Max just wanted to hit someone so hard that they could understand the pain he’s endured his entire life.

“Max? Are you okay?” An angelic voice asked.

Max remembered Nikki’s concerned voice from when they incubated platypus eggs. She was so worried for their well-being, it matched her sincerity of this situation. Max threw his hand to tell her to go away.

“Come on Max, what’s wrong?” Nikki came closer to console him.

“Nikki, what don’t you understand? Leave!” Max screamed.

“No! I left you once, not again.” Nikki took a seat on the bed next to him. “I’m sorry. We didn’t tell them what happened. We thought you’d be embarrassed if they knew they dragged you away and you cried-”

“I didn’t fucking cry.”

Nikki nodded her head and put her arm around him. Max flinched at first but allowed the touch to continue. Nikki seemed to be the only person to be concerned, which was refreshing, yet odd, to an abused boy.

“Max, I’m really sorry. I wish I could’ve stopped it. I tried, I begged David for weeks to get you back.” Nikki explained. “But he said he couldn’t. Something about legality. I’m not sure. I’m sorry.”

Max stared into her bright pink eyes, analyzing every last bit of sympathy she had for him. All those years at camp, Nikki had always been the most compassionate for every person and animal. Max felt the anger melt away from his face.

“I guess that was smart. I can’t let them know I went soft.” Max sighed then rubbed his face vigorously. “The funeral is tonight, right?”

“Yeah. David wants us to wear our camp shirts.” Nikki pulled out a yellow piece of cloth. “Mine doesn’t fit anymore. I cut it into a bandana.”

Max picked up the piece of fabric and stared back at Nikki. She was certainly right that the shirt couldn’t fit her. She had grown so much and her body- Max stopped his thoughts from getting too explicit. Max took the fabric and wrapped it around Nikki’s head, framing her braid and face perfectly. He tied the knot and it looked perfect.

“Thank you,” Nikki smiled brilliantly. “Now come on, Space Kid was practically sobbing when you left. He feels bad.”

Max agreed to meet her at the Mess Hall but decided to change into his shirt first. Once Nikki left, Max changed into cargo shorts and his mustard colored shirt. It did not fit that bad since he got a new shirt every year and he went through his growth spurt the last year of camp. Max took his time to meet Nikki only to see her talking to a blonde girl and a shorter boy.

“Holy shit.” Max gasped as he realized it was Dolph and Ered.

Ered had transformed into an early 2000’s punk’s wet dream; the purple in her hair was now a cherry red and her makeup resembled if a raccoon got a job at Sephora. Dolph looked the same, and by the same, I mean Dictator Junior. Max wondered if anyone ever told him, but he wasn’t going to burst that bubble.

“Oh, Max it's kood to zee you!” Dolph greeted with a wave that resembled a salute.

“Hey, guys-”

“Ereeeed. You forgot your phoooone.” A very valley girl voice called.

They turned to see Erin, one of the Flower Scouts, running towards Ered with two phones in her hand. Ered took her phone and gave Erin a kiss.

“Thanks babez.” Ered winked at her girlfriend.

“You know what, I saw it coming,” Max said to Nikki, who punched him in the shoulder.

After some more greetings, everyone entered the building where the others were preparing to watch a video. Neil waved Nikki and Max over to sit with him so that Space Kid would leave him alone.

“Do you want to be Neil #1? Would that be okay?” Space Kid said as Max and Nikki took a seat.

“Buzz off Space Kid. I’m the only Neil here.” Neil brushed him off while throwing his hands up.

“You’ll come around eventually brother!” Space Kid saluted. “Max, hey I just-”

“Don’t apologize. It’s fine.”

Space Kid smiled at Max, taking it as a sign of affection, and tried to hug the tan boy. Max pushed him away before even making contact, but Space Kid did not mind. Once everyone was seated, David and Gwen appeared from outside with a line of kids who took a seat on the farther tables. The kids appeared to be frustrated by the ceremony, probably because they didn’t give two shits about this camp or the platypus.

“Welcome Campers, old and new! We here to today to honor a lost member of our camp. Our platypus will always be remembered for his spirit and-”

“David he tried to kill all of us! Quit the bullshit.” Max sneered causing the younger kids to laugh hysterically.

“Maaaaax. Not in front of the kids.” David quivered his lower lip while taking a defeated position.

“Okay let’s cut the crap, here’s a video or whatever. We’ll be burying the thing by the lake.” Gwen placed a disc into the projector then attended to a distraught David.

The video began with a morose, cliche song that everyone uses in an obituary video. Black and white pictures lit up the screen, some looked obviously photoshopped, and silent videos showed the platypus attacking many of the campers, David mostly. Max wanted to gouge out his eyes and ears to make this end quicker, but all the utensils were hidden after the incident with Harrison and a box. Trust me, you don’t want to know.  
Max turned towards Nikki and Neil to see if they were as miserable as he was, yet he was only met with eyes of bliss. Max switched his attention to the video to see it was the moment that Max and Nikki hatched an egg, that was eaten by the platypus, but they seemed so happy. Max rolled his eyes over the dramatized scene; he wasn’t going soft, he just thought the miracle of life was beautiful.The slideshow came to an end with a final screen of the platypus looking off into the horizon. Everyone clapped somewhat slowly as David’s sobs were heard from the back of the room. The campers giggled at him while standing up to go eat.

“Okay, that was...something. Anyways, we have dinner ready outside. We’ll be digging its grave in an hour.” Gwen sighed while passing another box of tissues to David.

The trio followed everyone to the activities area where a full buffet was built for all the attendees. It didn’t look too bad except for the Quartermaster’s mashed potatoes, but everyone still got a serving of it so QM wouldn’t cry again. The three sat with Ered and Erin, the two least annoying people at the camp.

“So like...how did this...when did you become…” Nikki stammered with her words for a second. She was still enthralled by Ered’s ‘coolness’.

“It’s such a cooool story. I was competing in the X-Gamezzz trials and I broke every bone in my body. Erin was doing community work and she was my nurse. It’s totally rad.” Ered held Erin’s hand and smiled.

“Sameeee. I couldn’t help but fall in love with this goddess.” Erin laughed as her hand disappeared from the table.

“Uh, guys...keep it PG.” Neil choked on his food at the blatant sexual advances.

“Sorry, Neancy.” Erin looked at Neil with a questionable look. “You know, Tabii is still around here if you’re interested.”

“Oh fuck no. I’m not getting with crazy.” Neil flailed his arms again. God, he was a fiend for dramatics.

Max found amusement from Neil’s awkward endeavors to hide from Tabii. The fond memory of Tabii trying to drug Neil with a ‘love potion’ (AKA Rohypnol) and drag him out into the woods. Good thing we were practicing archery or Neil would have been lost forever.

“Come on Neil, relax a little.” Nikki punched him in the shoulder causing him to almost fall off the bench.

“I can relax! I can chill.” Neil’s face turned a bright red as his body tensed up.

“Really?” Ered giggled leaning closer in. “How about I get all of us to chill out?” She winked at the trio.

“We both turned twenty-one this month. How about we get everyone together and have fun!” Erin suggested.

Both girls smiled mischievously at the trio, obviously very true to their word and wanting to get at least blackout drunk. Now this wouldn’t be Max’s first time, he has gotten pissed drunk after nights out with friends, but this was risky shit. Best case, they lose a couple people in the woods to the bears. Worst case, David finds them and all hell breaks loose. Yet, even with the little Max in his head telling him no, he desperately wanted to.

“Hell yeah!” Nikki squeaked.

Okay, that was very unexpected. Max would never have thought Nikki would want to get drunk, or maybe that was the Nikki he remembered? The last time they saw each other Nikki was drastically different. She still wore overalls and had puffy hair - she even had braces to fix the missing teeth she lost from jumping off a cliff.

“I’m in too! If I’m going to stay here another night, I might as well get fucked up.” Neil agreed.

The four stared at Max, awaiting his answer as if his vote would be the breaking point in their plans. Max looked around to see David still sobbing and Gwen consoling him with a horrified expression. This is going to be too easy.  
“Let’s get wasted.”


	4. Fireball?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my favorite chapter to write so far so I hope you guys enjoy!

It was around 10:30 when David and Gwen put the young campers to their tents; the kids were exhausted from the activities of the day. After the buffet style dinner, the kids put the small box on the lake and set it on fire. A Viking burial for a platypus, now that’s Camp Camp.  
  
Max watched the last of the kids turn out their lights and David do his nighttime routine in his room. David spoke to himself and did smile push-ups in the mirror, which was probably the least creepy thing he’s ever done, but still horrifying. Max turned to Neil and Nurf, who were his cabin mates, and nodded to them.  
  
The three boys sneaked out of the cabin, hoping David wouldn’t see them in the reflection. David was their biggest obstacle, if Gwen found them, she wouldn’t care. She’d join in and do keg stands with them if she could. But sometime during the night, Gwen left in her car without telling them where she was going.  
  
“Are you guys reaaaady?” Erin cheered with three full boxes.  
  
All the teens met up at the far end of the lake where they were out of sight from campers and David. Everyone was there except for Space Kid and Dolph, who everyone decided were a lost cause. They were only sixteen but had the mentality of twelve-year-olds.  
  
Ered cracked open a couple of beers and passed them around the group. It was clear to see people like Nerris and Harrison have never been drunk before, they smelled their bottles with repulsed looks.  
  
“It’s not that bad.” Nerris laughed uncomfortably while taking a hesitant sip.  
  
Ered and Erin cuddled up together as they drank one after another of the cheap beer of choice. Nurf was mixing his own mixture of choice, adding whiskey and some other undisguisable liquid. Preston was gladly drinking as he told everyone how the Drama after-parties were probably the 'rowdiest' anyone has ever seen.  
  
“I didn’t see you as a drinker Neil,” Max said to his friend who was sipping on a Blue Moon.  
  
“My dad gave them to me all the time when I was younger. He kept trying to be the ‘cool dad’. I only did it when it was holidays at his house.” Neil explained, coolly taking a sip.  
  
Nikki wasn’t really drinking, just swishing the liquid in the bottle and watching everyone react to the alcohol. Max moved closer to her, sensing she was not in her element. The few years they did Parent’s Day, he noticed that her mom was either drinking or whoring around the camp.  
  
“Guyzzz, Sasha and Tabii are on their way!” Erin squealed while dropping her phone into the dirt.  
  
Nikki rolled her eyes. She was still on bad terms with those girls after all the bullying they did to her when she was eleven. Max broke open another bottle and watched Nerris fall onto Harrison while screaming about elves or some shit.  
  
“Fuck you guys are nerds.” Nurf burped while chugging three more beers.  
  
Eventually, Tabii and Sasha appeared, already buzzed, with more beer and schnaps. Max wasn’t into the sweet shit. He liked it hard (not that way you dirty shits). They passed around some more beers, Tabii especially giving more to Neil while throwing herself onto him. Neil didn’t seem to mind, or at least he was too drunk to care about it.  
  
“This is probably the best time we’ve had at this shitty camp.” Neil laughed and took another from Tabii.  
  
“No way! What about the time we fought the lake monster? Or helped Space Kid enter zero gravity? What about the time we tricked Gwen into thinking she was pregnant!” Nikki squealed in excitement.  
  
“Yeah no. I’d have more fun snorting anthrax.” Neil retorted.  
  
Hours went by and everyone was mostly wasted, except Max who had a high tolerance for alcohol, and Nikki who hasn’t finished her bottle of Blue Moon since they started. The whole group had turned into a mess in the few hours they had been drinking: Erin and Ered were making out pretty hardcore, Tabii was rubbing Neil’s shoulders as he continued to drink, Harrison had stolen Nerris’s staff and was poking her repeatedly while she ranted about DnD, Sasha was snapchatting the whole event and lip syncing to some pop song, and Nurf was sobbing onto Preston’s shoulder about how he’s afraid Chris will leave him one day. Max was visibly pleased by the embarrassing acts of his peers.  
  
“This will be sick blackmail one day,” Max said to Nikki in hopes to lighten her mood.  
  
Nikki broke into a smile as she put her drink on the floor. Max could tell she was not interested in anything they were doing; Nikki always wanted to fit in and if she had to pretend to drink, she would do it gladly. Max didn’t know how to calm her down without throwing her into the mud or giving him a beaver, so he just decided to keep her mind off things.  
  
“Do you want me to finish this for you?” Max picked up the full bottle and pressed it to his lips.  
  
“Yes, please. If Ered sees I’m a lightweight she’ll give me shit for years.” Nikki watched the couple make out and fall behind a log.  
  
“You know this would be hot if it wasn’t...you know...them,” Max commented while swishing back a drink.  
  
“What do you mean?” Nikki looked up at him confused. As if he was speaking gibberish. “Don’t boys find lesbians hot?”  
  
Max stifled his laughter so he wouldn’t make Nikki feel stupid. Of course, Max’s gross hormones caused him to think a little more sexually towards those steamy scenes, but he didn’t find them attractive. Max was not a player, he didn’t flirt with girls or go out of his way to hook up with any. It also didn’t help that Max found PDA horribly disturbing and nauseating.  
  
“Nikki, the last thing I want to see right now is our friends fucking.” Max chugged the rest of the bottle, finally get a little inebriated. “Besides, I’m not a perv. And they’re not my type.”  
  
Nikki saw that Max was not in his right mind as his words seemed to blur together into a comprehensible mess. Max decided to lay off the drinks for the night because the last thing he wanted to do was be hungover on the trip home. God, if his parents were to even try to yell at him he might have a mental breakdown.  
  
“I’m bored!” Sasha screamed and threw a glass bottle at a tree. She was a very angry drunk and her face became a bright red to match her hair.  
  
“I have an idea!” Tabii squealed while rolling on top of Neil. “Let’s plan seven minutes in heaven.” She weirdly licked Neil’s face, who was completely blacked out.  
  
“Tabii what the fuck." Sasha slapped Tabii off of Neil’s lap. "But...truth or dare.” She spun around to meet the group.  
  
“Are you twelve still?” Max sassed. He was met with fiery eyes of the infuriated pinkette.  
  
“Fine losers. Never have I ever.”  
  
Everyone agreed, mainly due to Sasha threatening to shank them with a beer bottle, but it was unanimous. They sat closer in a circle, some sitting on top of each other like Erin and Ered and Tabii and Drunk Neil. It started off as a boring game, ‘Never have I ever got detention’.‘Never have I ever streaked in public’.‘Never have I ever prayed to a satanic cult figure’. Stupid things that everyone has done once or twice. Sasha seemed to be content though, she was smoking a cigarette with the largest smile on her face.  
  
“Never have I ever had...sex?” Nerris hiccuped with eight fingers still standing.  
  
The number of fingers down was actually very surprising. I mean Ered and Erin were predictable, but the fact that Neil, Preston, and Nurf have done it was the most surprising. But it seemed that everyone was more surprised that Max didn’t move a finger.  
  
“Really Max?” Nikki asked almost angelically.  
  
“Yeah? What it’s not a big deal. I just don’t want to deal with the girl freaking out or shit.” Max drunkenly muttered with a bored expression.  
  
“HA fucking loser. Even I’ve lost my virginity and I’m the biggest nerd in the world!” Neil laughed until he began to twitch uncontrollably.  
  
“Shut it, shithead.”  
  
The group quickly dissolved the situation by smacking another beer into Neil’s mouth and Harrison distracting Max with a magic trick. Of course, that magic trick was turning beer into a wine, but everyone was too drunk to realize how insane the concept was. Soon enough it was Ered’s turn, who had a giant smirk on her face for the entire game.  
  
“Never have I ever...had a crush on anyone at camp.”  
  
Max’s eyes grew huge. He wasn’t the most coherent at the moment, but as soon as he heard that he thought of Nikki. Over the past few years, it never dawned on him that he may like Nikki. Honestly, every glance or touch or wet dream, he never once connected the dots. His brain went into superdrive trying to figure out how to escape this situation. Of course, the easiest answer was to not move his goddamn finger, but this was Drunk Max. Max picked up one of his empty bottles and threw it at a resting duck in the water.  
  
“Max, what the fuck?” Sasha screamed, swinging her cigarette vigorously.  
  
“That duck was looking at me weird.”  
  
Everyone was bewildered at his response. Not only did he look deranged and obliterated, but his finger was moved down. Now if Max didn’t want any attention to himself, he truly, absolutely, fucked up.  
  
“I didn’t know you were capable of feelings.” Neil laughed and pointed at the finger he put down.

“What? No, I’m just drunk. Stupidly drunk. “ Max became defensive and pushed the Jew boy away.  
  
“Come on Max, tell us!” Preston demanded. “The anticipation is killing me!”  
  
It became a chant almost, all of them screaming ‘tell us, tell us!’, which probably wasn’t good for hiding from David. Max’s eyes locked onto Nikki, who was not chanting but she was about to say something. It was like instinct almost. Max quickly picked up another full bottle and threw it at a tree behind the group. It broke and sprayed beer everywhere.  
  
“Seriously Max! What the fuck?”  
  
Sasha stomped her feet like she was having a tantrum. Sasha was upset over the fact that Max was throwing her well-stolen alcohol that she worked hard for. She had to flirt with a neckbeard to get that shit! Sasha threw her cigarette in the midst of her breakdown. Now if you’ve never taken a science class, here is why you don’t throw alcohol on fire.  
  
The still burning cigarette fell directly onto the soaked dirt, which ignited the largest flame any of them had ever seen. The fire grew even more as it engulfed everything that had been drenched in alcohol. The teens screamed and jumped up from their seats, their immediate reaction was to run away, except for the fact in the process they dropped their drinks behind them. The fire seemed to chase them as they ran to safety; the fire lurched through the dying grass and completely covered the side of the lake.  
  
“We fucked up!” Nurf screamed, carrying Preston to safety.  
  
Max sprinted with Neil and Nikki by their sides, the drunkenness melting off of them from the fright of near death. They finally reached the Mess Hall in hopes of finding safety. They all turned to see the fire burning off of some Camp Camp canoes, camp projects, and the newly built cabin. Luckily, no kids were sleeping in there.  
  
“How could this get any worse?” Nikki shrieked.  
  
David slammed his door open and sniffed the air like a bloodhound. At first, he seemed too drowsy to comprehend what was happening, until he saw the raging fire coming towards them.  
  
“What the GOSH DARN HECK is going on here?” David screamed. “Someone go get the kids! I’ll call the fire department.”  
  
Nikki, Nerris, and Harrison sprinted towards the camper’s cabin while the rest watched the forest burn down. David ran back, watching his work get burnt to ashes. Thankfully it didn’t hit the main camp, but David’s face fell while he watched his favorite place burn. Max felt a pit in his stomach form while watching the firefighters put out the fire. It took almost the whole night, but finally, the fire was controlled with the only things damaged was the wildlife, lake docks, and some other random Camp cabins.  
  
“How did this even happen?” David sighed, taking a seat with all his past campers. “The firefighters said they found alcohol in the woods and thought it ignited the flames.  
  
Explain. Now.” His face was bitter with slight tears forming.  
  
“David...we…” Everyone tried to find words to explain but everyone fell short.  
  
“It was me.”  
  
Everyone looked to Max, the guiltiest looking one of the group. His curls hid his eyes, but his hands shook slightly. Max feared for what David would do; scream? Cry? Be ashamed? Max didn’t care for what David thought of him, but it would kill him if the last person who believed in him were to give up.  
  
“I brought the alcohol. I started being stupid and caused the fire. I’m sorry.”  
  
The group didn’t say anything, they were too amazed that Max would take the blame for something that somewhat equally their fault. I mean Max did throw the bottle...but hey that’s not the point. Max isn’t being a shithead.  
  
“Max…I’m so…”  
  
“Disgusted? Disappointed?”  
  
“No. Max, I’m just sad. You know better than this.” David sighed while staring down Max with his big, sad eyes.  
  
“So I guess you want me to leave and never come back?” Max stood up slowly, trying to keep some respect for himself.  
  
“No. I want you to stay.” Max looked at him questionably. “And be our new Camp Counselor!”  
  
If Max didn’t just watch half the camp almost burn down, that might’ve been the scariest thing he experienced. Max felt a little joy go through him, thank god David wasn’t mad! But then the reality settled in.  
  
“I’d rather fucking kill myself.”


	5. Camp Counselor Max

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, no one kill me please! I had this chapter half-way done for a while but I could not get it perfect. It's still not perfect but it was better the first ten drafts. So enjoy!

Max felt the strong urge to vomit uncontrollably; he could not tell if it was the amount of alcohol he consumed, or maybe it was David asking him to work at the camp? Max cringed while David smiled like a cultist maniac. The other campers watched as if they were studying a crime scene. 

“Max, you will be my new co-counselor! You will be helping me until you pay off all the damage from the fire.” David threw an arm around Max, who instantly pushed it away. 

“I will fucking get in a car and drive off a goddamn cliff.” Max retorted. 

“Language!” A small voice squeaked. 

At first, you’d think it was David giving his usual speech about language and correctness, but no. Everyone turned to the Mess Hall doors to see a tiny little girl. She had to be around two years old, bright red pigtails and bright green eyes. She was in a blue onesie while holding a blanket. 

“My daddy says to watch your language.” The girl stomped into the hall with her hands on her hips. 

“Lou, what are you doing out of bed?” David sighed. He scooped up the girl in his arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. 

“Daddy, I heard monsters and smelled like when you fell into the oven.” 

“DADDY?” Everyone screamed. 

The teens couldn’t tell if they were being affected by bad alcohol or the fumes were causing hallucinations. Was David really a dad? Is that really his kid? And most importantly, who would reproduce with him? The girl cuddled into David’s neck and giggled. 

“Everyone, meet my youngest daughter Lucille.” David moved his daughter's arm to wave. Her face turned red with embarrassment. 

“Youngest? Daughter?” Neil hiccuped, still drunk from earlier. 

“Yeah. I have two more: Ivy and Lorelai. You all can meet them tomorrow because they know how to stay in bed.” David teased his toddler while giving her another kiss. “I’m going to put Lou to bed. I’ll talk to you all tomorrow.” 

David coddled his daughter as he left the Mess Hall, leaving everyone stunned by what they just saw. David has the capacity to make love and care for a child? I mean he cries whenever he watches a sex scene, how could he even produce three children? Max snapped out of his daze once the older kids started to stand up. 

“Max, why did you do that?” Neil stuttered as he was gaining his balance. 

“I thought I’d be a good guy and save your asses. If I would’ve known I’d be stuck here, I would’ve kept my damn mouth shut. You all owe me.” Max smacked his head on the table with a light groan. 

“Thanks, Max. Appreciate it.” Ered said, almost sounding sober. 

Everyone decided that it was enough for the night and started to head back to their rooms. Tabii was begging Neil to have a ‘sleepover’ but Neil was tired of her shit and made some sad excuse that he was suffering from drunk dick. Max noticed Nikki was staying behind with him. She was probably going to try to cheer him up, but he wasn’t in the mood. 

“Hey, seriously, why did you do that?” Nikki questioned. Did no one think Max could be nice?

“I knew David would believe me. I’m the fuck up that does stupid shit. He would’ve blamed it on me.’’ Max huffed and gained the power to stand finally. 

“David loves you-’’ 

‘’David does not love me. No one loves me. If anyone loved me then I wouldn’t be in this shit hole.’’ Max slammed the table with anger flowing through him. ‘’Goodnight Nikki.”

Max didn’t turn around to see Nikki, he knew he would see her eyes swelling up or her trying to find words to say. He slammed the door as he left and walked back to his cabin. Max glanced towards the forest, burnt to a crisp with smoke still rising to the sky, and continued forward. It was his fault, he threw the damn bottle. Still, he didn’t want to spend his summer here. He planned on doing stupid shit with his friends and getting drunk. I guess he did that tonight, but he was hoping there would be less arsenic involved. 

Max entered his cabin, taking note of his roommate's condition; Nurf was half-naked and snoring, and Neil was holding his head while trying to fall asleep. Max threw himself onto the bed, groaning audibly while wanting to scream. He wanted to scream so loud he lost his voice. So loud that he would cause an earthquake. So loud that everyone in the whole world would know that Max Singh is a worthless piece of shit and deserves to die. 

“Max, are you awake?” Neil groaned, crawling towards the wastebasket in the room. 

“Yes, what do you want?” Max turned over and watched his friend vomit into the trash. 

“I missed you, Max. A lot.” Neil burped and threw up again. “I wanted to send you letters or text you. Something man. I’m sorry. I love you. No homo.” Neil continued to vomit and slur his words. 

Max didn’t know how to reply to him; Neil was too intoxicated to understand what he was saying. Max had always thought of Neil like a brother, well until that incident, but he never thought Neil actually liked him. After all those years of teasing him and calling him a nerd, there was still a bond. Max went into his bag and pulled out a couple of tums and painkillers; he placed them on the nightstand by Neil’s bed so that Neil wouldn’t be totally shitfaced the next day. 

“Love you too. No homo.” Max pat his sick friend, causing him to vomit a little more. 

Max curled back into his bed, feeling a little better about what had happened this night. Of course he was pissed that he had to work, but knowing Neil was there for him made it just a little better.  
-

Max awoke fairly early, hearing his roommates packing their stuff up, and was in the worst pain in his life. His head was throbbing, his throat hurt, and his eyes were crusted over. He sat up, meeting eyes with Neil, who was equally hungover. Nurf burped loudly and slapped Max on the back. 

‘’Thanks for taking the blame bitch. If Chris finds out I set something on fire, I’ll be in the doghouse again. Literally.’’ Nurf shook Max slightly violently. ‘’He’s kinky’’ He added. 

‘’Okay shut up now.’’ Max groaned in disgust. He did not want to think of his childhood bully getting- you know what, let’s not go that far. 

“Really Max, thanks for not being an asshole.’’ Neil agreed while taking the painkillers Max left for him. 

Max nodded his head, smiling slightly about how he could blackmail Neil from last night. The memories of last night were setting in with a sober mind and he finally realized how dumb he was. Why did Max move his finger? Why does Max become an idiot when he’s drunk? Max wanted to drown himself in the lake, but he ultimately decided to say goodbye to everyone in hopes the bus would run him over. 

Everyone was gathered towards the Camp Campbell sign to say their goodbyes. David and Gwen were having each of their campers say goodbyes and salutes to the teens, even though they had no interest in talking or the goddamn camp. Max couldn’t believe he’d have to spend his summer with these kids. There were about ten kids and they looked like total losers. Max made the note to learn their names eventually this summer, but right now was not the time. 

Nikki finally made an appearance to say her goodbyes. Strangely, she had no luggage, but Max ultimately thought she just traveled with nothing like a hermit. Max wanted to talk to her, but after last night he thought he might’ve fucked it up. Of course the day after he realized he likes her, he would end up screaming at her and ruining it. No problem though, Max would get over it. 

“I’m going to miss you all so much.” David sobbed. “Come visit soon.” David threw his lanky arms around everyone. 

David’s wailing caused the hungover teens a great amount of pain. Everyone cringed and held their ears to hopefully save some amount of hearing. Gwen pulled David off of all the kids so they could resume getting their things on the bus. Neil through his bags into the undercarriage of the bus and turned to Max. 

“I’ll see you around man. Text me if you need anything, or you need to escape.” Neil actually caused Max to smile just a little. “And Nikki, I have to visit Nikki too.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you know? Nikki is a counselor this summer too.”

Max stared down Nikki, who was currently hugging Nerris and Ered goodbye and felt his cheeks get a little warmer. He would be spending his entire summer with her, just like old times. The sudden tinge of guilt came over him, he’s been treating her like trash since he got here. He would have to talk to her as soon as they were alone. 

“Okay kids, give our alum a good old, ‘Campe Diem!’” David instructed the kids. 

The kids gave their best (by best I mean worst) salute and went back to kicking the dirt at their feet. Everyone, except Max and Nikki, hopped onto the bus and waved goodbye. Quartermaster took a large sip of some purple liquid then pulled out off the road. Max watched everyone give overly exacerbated goodbyes as if they would never see them again. Max would most likely see them again soon (wink wink) so Max wasn’t too upset. 

“Are you ready to get to work!” David exclaimed. He pulled the two into a hug and went off on some symbolic speech. 

“I’m honestly surprised you haven’t tried to make a break for it.” Gwen sighed while throwing a green shirt to Max. “Now please don’t fuck up these kids, please. We can’t survive another lawsuit.”

Nikki threw the green shirt over her tank top and then tied it at the bottom to fit her better. Nikki seemed pretty excited, she was jumping up and down like a little kid on Christmas, and her smile, wow. Max marveled at Nikki’s smile, her teeth were perfected by braces but there was still a gap between her front teeth, which Max thought was adorable. 

“Attention Campers! We just gained not one, not three, but TWO new camp counselors!” David pushed Max and Nikki towards the group of kids. “Since we have so much help this summer, tents 323 and 425 will be monitored by Gwen and me, the rest of you will go with Nikki and Max.”

The large of group of kids dispersed to accommodate for this. Three boys and three girls stood in front of Nikki and Max, all looking not too interested in being there except for one girl who seemed too hyped on something. 

“Whatever, kids get to know your new...whatevers. Meet in the Activities Center in twenty minutes.” Gwen held her head and lead her group with David. 

Max and Nikki stood awkwardly in front of their group; Max was never good with younger kids, he would ignore them or just pass them off to someone else to deal with. Max threw his shirt over his head and tried to talk to the kids. 

“Okay let’s get this shit straight. You don’t fuck with us, we don’t fuck with you. Listen to what we say and there won’t be any problems. Got it?” Max asserted. One girl raised her hand immediately, the same one as before. “Yes?”

“According to Camp Rulez #532, ‘no counselor or camper may use any foul language, derogatory terms, or reference the holocaust in any situations’ So you should watch it.” The girl quipped, almost as if she was the voice of reason. 

“I didn’t even know we had a rulebook,” Nikki said dubiously. 

Max analyzed the critical girl, she had thick, curly brown hair that framed her oval shaped face, but her bangs were pushed back with a yellow headband. Her blue eyes were covered by thick-rimmed glasses and she had light freckles across her cheeks. 

“Listen here, kid-”

“Gigi. My name is Gigi.”

“Oh my god. Listen here Gigi, I don’t give a shit about the rules. When I went here, there were almost no rules besides don’t murder the counselors. So just chill out and we won’t have a problem.” Max was already sick of this. If he wanted to, Max could run after the bus and jump on before David could say ‘Campe Diem’. 

“She hasn’t chilled out since the womb.” Another girl said. Gigi gave her a dirty look and whipped her hair into the other’s face. 

“Shove it, Maisie! I play by the rules, unlike you ingrates.” Gigi crossed her arms. Max couldn’t believe this girl. 

“Okay quit you two!” Nikki screamed. “If you two want to act like bitchy little girls, I’ll send you both to the Flower Scouts.”

Max was impressed by Nikki’s ability to get the kids to shut up. Gigi and Maisie shut their mouths and blushed from embarrassment and maybe even horror that the Flower Scouts could be an option. Max realized that David and Gwen were not competent enough to see these kids were brats, and he was going to try to break it. 

“Okay, let’s start over. I’m Max, this is Nikki. We went here when we were kids. We will be your babysitters for the next few months.” Max sighed and took the clipboard Nikki was holding. 

“Let’s speed this up too. Give us your names and camps so we can write this down.” Nikki handed a pencil to Max. 

“I’m Maisie VanHausen, fashion camp.” 

Maisie was a petite blonde girl with large green eyes. She had bedazzled her camp shirt so her name was printed on the back and a pair of sunglasses were hanging from the front. 

“I’m Gigi Lafer. I’m in every camp possible.”

“Of course you are,” Max muttered while writing her name down. Gigi looked as if she wanted to make another scene, but she kept quiet. 

“I’m Westley Pham, science camp.”

Westley was a skinny Vietnamese boy with long black hair and oval brown eyes. For his stature, he actually had a deep voice that sort of...soothing? Max couldn’t put his finger on it but he assumed the kid wouldn’t be too much of an asshole. 

“Chrissy Stelgatto. Fat camp.” The next girl said, her face beaming a bright right. 

Chrissy was Latina with thick black hair that was put into two braids. Her brown eyes were almost swelling up with tears as she admitted to her camp.

“The fuck? We have that?” Max looked to Nikki. 

“Yeah..my mom...just move on.” 

Max felt horribly writing down fat camp; it was even worse because the girl was not even close to being fat. Chrissy was a little chubby, but definitely not fat. But Max did it anyways. Max made a mental note next to her name to change the camp later. 

“Alfie Kel-Keller.” The next boy stuttered with an obvious deaf accent. “I’m Deaf, sorry for my voice.” Alfie moved his hands as he talked, forming simcom as he talked. 

Alfie had shaggy red hair that covered his yellow hearing aid. His freckles covered most of his body, but the first thing you’d see was his wide, golden eyes. 

“Don’t you need like an interpreter or something?” Nikki asked innocently. 

“Interpreters are for the weak!” Alfie cheered while swinging his hands around. “I’m in dance camp.” 

Max gave him a quizzical look but wrote it down anyways. 

“You can make fun of it, I don’t care. I can’t hear you anyways.” Max laughed at the kid. They were going to get along just fine. 

The last boy cocked his head towards Max and Nikki, shaking his hands frantically. The boy waved his hands across his throat, signaling that he can’t talk. 

“Is he deaf too?” Max asked, side-eyeing the strange boy. 

“No, that’s just Iggy. He’s a mime.” Westley explained slowly. “He hasn’t talked since...the incident.” Thunder cracked in the distance. 

“What incident?” Nikki asked. Another bolt of lightning. 

Iggy mimed some sort of event that no one could understand. All Max got from it was a tree maybe? Or a circus elephant? Either way Max just nodded his head and wrote down the camp. 

“Let’s get this over with. Come on spawns!” Max called out to his campers. 

The campers followed him in line to go to the Activities Center, Nikki jogging to catch up with Nikki. She beamed her signature smile at Max, causing little bubbles from deep inside Max’s stomach. 

“These kids aren’t so bad,” Nikki said optimistically. “They could be more like us...that would be a nightmare.” 

“Yeah, I guess.” Max looked back at the kids, specifically at Chrissy. “We need to help that girl first. What kind of fucked up parent would send their child to ‘fat camp’?” Max whispered. 

Nikki nodded her head before turning violently around at the kids. She pulled the clipboard up so she could read today’s activities. Today was Arts and Crafts day with a focus on clay. David put together a bunch of clay balls onto the extending table for all the kids to make something with; his daughters sat at the end of the table and were making clay snowmen. The rest of the camp joined in after David did his usual boring announcement. 

Max took a seat and began watching the kids go to work. David’s two other daughters, Ivy and Lorelai, were obviously twins. Brown hair in braids with bright purple eyes. The only difference was one had a blue butterfly in her hair and the other had a pink one. 

“Counselor Max!” David said in his chirpy tone. “Maybe you should help your campers with their clay projects?” 

“These kids are eleven. I’m sure they can figure it out.” 

David side eyed Max but didn’t try to fight him. Max glanced over in Nikki’s direction, she was leaning over and talking with Alfie and Gigi. The sun peered through the tree in just the right direction so that the rays were bouncing off Nikki. It was like an angel had ascended from heaven. Max’s cheeks turned red but he shook it off then glanced at Chrissy. 

“David, listen. That girl Chrissy, her parents set her up for Fat Camp. How fucked is that?” Max threw his hands up and David nodded. 

“Language, but I agree. I don’t know how to fix it though. Her parents offered to pay $500,000 if we get her ninety pounds or they’ll sue us.” David sighed heavily. 

“That’s disgusting.”

Max felt uneasy deep inside his gut. How horrible must her parents be that they only care about her weight? Chrissy was maybe 130lb at most. When Chrissy had to speak about her mom, Max could see the fear in her eyes. Max knew that feeling too well when his father would drink excessively and get angry. Those were the days Max forced himself into the crawlspace in his house. He prayed that he wouldn’t be found, and prayed even harder that his mother wouldn’t get in his father’s way. Max was snapped out of his thoughts as Nikki sauntered over with her dazzling smile. 

“Why do you look so sad?” Her hands rubbed Max’s shoulders gently. It was then when it hit him. 

“Nikki, I have a great idea on how to help Chrissy.” Both smiled mischievously at each other as they planned their next scheme.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Side notes about Alfie the Deaf counselor:   
> I am Hard of Hearing so I really wanted to add a Deaf character into my writing. I write Deaf with a capital D because that is how you write it if they are culturally Deaf. The word deaf with a little d is for medically deaf people.   
> Also, Simcom is the use of sign language and spoken language at the same time. Alfie will use this most of the story.   
> Just wanted to clarify that and I hope you enjoyed!


	6. Helping Campers and Starting Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I haven't posted in months. There's no excuse except I'm lazy and garbage but I'm sorry! This chapter is extra long and has lots of Makki cuteness. Let's do this!

“Let the plan commence my friend.” Nikki still had her hand on Max’s back, smiling and nodding towards Chrissy.

Max nodded, feeling the warmth of hand leave his back and watched her saunter over to Maisie and Westley. Max walked up behind Iggy and Chrissy, both were making some sort vase, maybe a flowerpot? Iggy’s kind of looked like a naked woman but Max didn’t care. Max sat a little closer to Chrissy and watched her smash her clay again. Max peaked at Chrissy’s folder, noting again that her favorite activity was cooking and baking. It was time for “Plan: Unfuck these kids” (name still in the works).

“Ugh, this camp is so fucking boring.” Max groaned.

“I mean...I guess. I don’t know.” Chrissy nervously continued to push her clay.

Max winked at Nikki, cueing her to walk by and cause a large scene. Nikki groaned and held her stomach as if she was dying from starvation. The rest of the campers and counselors watched her in confusion.

“I am so hungry! I feel as if I haven’t eaten in years.” Nikki sighed and threw herself on the floor in front of Chrissy.

“Exactly! If only we had someone here who knew how to cook.” Max added.

Chrissy’s eyes sparkled a little bit when the mention of cooking was brought up. Their plan was working, at the cost of Quartermaster crying his eyes out into his bowl of mashed potatoes. David and Gwen watched them, suspicious of their overall goal. It’s not like they haven’t poisoned the food before, they have the right to suspect something.

“Yeah! Ugh, Chrissy, do you have any ideas?” Nikki flipped to her feet.

“I mean yeah...or no...i can’t-”

The whole camp was watching her with intent, as much as it was ruse there was no food that was edible at the camp.

“Chrissy told me last week that she could make amazing enchiladas. Make that!” Westley belted out.

“It’s not on my diet-”

Before she could finish her sentence, Nikki pulled her away from her pottery and rushed her into the back room. Max took Chrissy’s seat and continued to make some sort of model. Max glanced up from the clay and watched Nikki handing things to Chrissy, making jokes and smiling. Chrissy was lightening up, laughing with Nikki and seemingly taking charge of whatever they were cooking. Max smiled to himself, knowing the plan was just starting.

“Max, what are you up to?” David asked. His shadow loomed over Max.

“Nothing David. Just trying to help an obviously abused child from the long-lasting effects of parental neglect.” Max continued to shape the clay. “Unlike some people.” He said under his breath.

“Max, let’s not talk about this-”

“It’s fine. I’m just trying to help the girl out. In her files, I saw she wrote an interest in cooking so Nikki is going to help her get comfortable with making food again.” Max sighed. He smashed the clay back into a blob.

“That’s-that’s very nice of you Max. Keep at it!” David cheered.

David marched over to Gwen with a look of success as if he just proved his point that Max was actually going to be a good camp counselor. David was going to gloat but he was interrupted by the loud announcement made by his other co-counselor.

“If anyone wants to learn how to make an anatomically correct penis then come here!” A bunch of the kids jumped and rushed around Max.

“Oh boy.”  
\--  
After an hour or so of clay work and David trying to erase the image of a clay penis from the campers, Chrissy and Nikki emerged from the kitchen with plates of enchiladas. The campers, and mostly Max, were happy to get a meal that didn’t have snot or fingernails embedded in it. Max was actually surprised by how good it was. He didn’t even need to fake a sincere smile, which he never does but Nikki insisted on it.

After serving everyone their lunch, Nikki and Chrissy joined Max at the table alone. Chrissy was smiling wide and eating her food with anticipation.

“You know, I haven’t been able to eat a whole meal since I got here. My parents put me on a restrictive diet for the summer.” Chrissy took another large bite of her food.

“Yeah, I read your file. But don’t worry kid, eat whatever you want. You only live once.” Max assured. He finished his plate and put it aside.

“I know, but my parents. They’re...scary? My mom wants me to be perfect but I can’t. I’m a failure.”

The words struck Max like a bus. He knows that phrase far too well. He was called a failure since he started school. He never had the best grades, he could not compete with his intellectual cousins. His parents were ashamed but never took the blame themselves. Never once did they help him with homework or go to a teacher-parent meeting. His father said it was stupid and he didn’t want to miss a game. His mother said she didn’t want to. No excuse just did not care enough.

“You are not a failure Chrissy.” Nikki placed her delicate hand on the young girl's shoulder. “You are exceptional. We’ve just met you but I’m sure Max will agree when I say that we think you are perfect the way you are.”

Nikki glanced at Max, her eyes shining like little orbs of happiness. Max felt something inside him twist.

“Yeah...I know where you’re coming from kid. My parents suck too. But...just look.”

Max reached for the folders that David had given him from the beginning of the day, taking out Chrissy’s personal file. Max took the pen that was attached to his folder and started crossing out something and writing in large letters. Chrissy watched with confusion until Max turned the paper around.

**Name: Christina (Chrissy) Stelgatto**

**Age: 11**

**Camp: ~~Fat Camp~~ _COOKING CAMP CUZ FUCK THAT BODY-SHAMING BULLSHIT_**

 

Chrissy and Nikki erupted in laughter. The table shook from how hard they were laughing, tears even left Chrissy’s eyes. David and Gwen watched but just decided to not even ask what was going on. Max put the sheet back into the folder and looked down at his finished food. A smile was forming on his face but he didn’t want them to see it.

“Thank you, Max. Truly, I appreciate it.” Chrissy said in exasperated increments.

“Yeah...anytime kid. Now go make some more friends.”

Chrissy nodded her head and sat over with rest of the campers. Max watched as she made jokes and talked to the other campers. In the few hours they had with her she seemed like an entirely different person. The other campers laughed and were deeply immersed in a conversation.

Max looked to Nikki who was already staring at him. She had these wide set eyes that were looking at him as if he was the only person in the room, maybe even the world. She smiled, reaching her hand out to touch Max’s.

“You did something really nice Max. You helped her a lot more than that stupid regimen would have.” Nikki caressed Max’s hand with her small fingers.

She was much smaller than what Max expected her to be when they were preteens. Max always thought she would become this feral, animal hybrid that lived with wolves. Nikki was athletic though, no denying it. She was just small, fairly short and slim, but he knew that she could break his spine if she just had the whim to.

“I just didn’t want any kids to get fucked up on our watch you know. David and Gwen didn’t really accomplish that with us.” Max sneered.

Nikki shook her head and squeezed his hand.

“Max, it’s me. You don’t have to act like you hate David and Gwen. You loved them before you were forced to leave.” Nikki said quietly. Her eyes darting towards preoccupied Gwen and David. Apparently, Iggy can’t mime and eat at the same time.

“Nikki, I’m serious. I don't want to talk about it,” Max paused and looked around the room. Everyone was trying to resuscitate Iggy and scrambling around. “Just leave it alone. Nobody cares.”

“I care.”

The stupid butterflies came back. Those words incited the burning fire in the pits of Max’s stomach. He felt all fuzzy everywhere like when he use to sleep with Mr. Honeynuts and he felt safe for once. Max stared at Nikki, contemplating what to say next.

“Max! Nikki! Get the first aid kit!” Gwen screamed.

Both were snapped from their sincere moment to see the scene of Iggy not choking anymore, but he did have a fork stabbed into his neck. Max sighed with annoyance. Not again!

“I’ll get it, Max. You can take the kids outside.” Nikki prompted. She stood from the table and made her way to the back of the kitchen.

Max followed her instructions and whistled towards his group of kids. They were preoccupied with Iggy’s neck looking like a murder scene but it was only going to be a flesh wound. Who cares!

“Give the kid some room! Let’s go assholes.” Max yelled to his kids who reluctantly followed him out towards the lake.

“You know we should be helping Iggy. I do have first aid training and I could be saving his life.” Gigi remarked while stomping her feet behind him.

Max could tell that this girl has always had a stick up her ass. She walked around needing to know everything. It sort of reminded Max of a younger him, but more annoying and slightly more bitchy.

“He’s fine. I’ve seen kids leave this place being mauled by bears, cougars, and the platypus and still come back the next day. Just relax.” Max stopped at the lakes side.

The kids stopped behind him abruptly, causing Westley to smack into Maisie which knocked almost all of them to the ground. Max groaned while slapping his forehead. He was surrounded by idiots. Max rolled his eyes at their idiocy; he could never catch a break, could he?

“What are we doing here besides getting my Gucci shoes dirty?” Maisie quipped. Her shoes were, in fact, Gucci, but that does not mean they’re not tacky.

“Oh my god, okay instead of bitching let’s do something,” Max hated himself for having to say the next part. “..campy. We’re just going to skip rocks okay! Like normal fucking kids.”

Max gathered a bunch of rocks for the kids, somewhat hoping that he could find one big enough to bash his brains in but today was not his lucky day. Max took the smoothest rock he could find and tried to show them how to do it. He flicked his wrist and watched the rock bounce four times on the lake water. Some of the kids were amazed by this and started to try their luck at it. Gigi scoffed at them.

“Seriously? Give me a real challenge.” Gigi picked up a rock and chucked it at the water but it sank.

“Wow, the perfect one isn’t good at something!” Maisie snickered.

“CAN IT SIDE-HOE BARBIE!” Gigi screeched.

Immediately Gigi began throwing rocks sporadically; she threw them harder, softer, over-hand, under-hand, anyway she could to try to get it to skip. She would not stop until she got that perfect skip that everyone else was getting. Max watched her, wondering if he should help her but decided against it. She was being bratty and embarrassment builds character.

“Just flick your wrist!” Alfie demonstrated to Gigi and got a rock to skip twice.

“This is bullshit!” Gigi sighed.

Gigi kept going at it while Alfie was trying to help her. Chrissy, Maisie, and Westley were getting okay results with the rocks. Max stopped and took a seat slightly behind them. He loved to watch the torment that engulfed Gigi. He would stop it before it went to tears or a homicidal rampage but he wanted to see what would happen first.

“Let me h-help you.” Alfie signed. [ME-HELP-YOU ALLOW]

Alfie grabbed a smaller pebble and positioned himself behind Gigi; he put the pebble in her hand and guided her wrist to how to throw it. With Alfie’s help, Gigi threw the pebble and got it to bounce five times.

“HA SUCK ON THAT!” Gigi cheered, gaining groans from the rest of the campers. Gigi mimed a thank you to Alfie and continued to flick her wrist.

Max was truly hoping for that homicidal rage, but I guess helping others is an okay lesson to learn. The scene itself actually reminded Max of something similar from his days at camp. Of course, it was Nikki.

It was one of the lazy days at Camp Campbell. Gwen was watching trashy T.V. and David was trying to teach Space Kid to not eat whatever Max told him to, no matter how many times Max says it’s chocolate. It wasn’t, and will never be, chocolate. Max was playing with an old hacky sack that he found in David’s drawers, next to all the crusty outdoor guide magazines that Max was too scared to touch. Neil and Nikki were talking about some scientific theory that Max didn’t about.

“What do you mean you don’t understand String Theory? It’s practically child’s play.” Neil screeched.

“Neil, like I said about quantum physics and gravity, I don’t understand it!” Nikki expressed with exasperated motions.

Max saw how annoying Neil was being in that moment and decided this could be his chance to get him to leave Nikki alone.

“Hey Neil, did you know that Ered doesn’t believe in evolution?” Max questioned while kicky his toy.

“WHAT!”

Before they could say anymore Neil was already gone. He was probably going to talk off Ered’s ear, who was not going to listen or will just have headphones in. Nikki sighed in relief and thanked Max.

“No problem. I was getting tired of him too.” Max continued to kick the hacky sack while Nikki watched.

“Hey, can you teach me?” Nikki asked, snatching the ball in midair.

Max agreed to try to teach her, but oh boy that was a bad idea. Nikki was great at many things: hunting, sports, cross-communication with animals, and many more outdoorsy things. Surprisingly though, she sucked at hacky sack. She would kick the opposite way of the ball or kick too hard so it would go flying through the Mess Hall windows. They spent probably three hours just trying to get Nikki to kick it upwards, but it was the sweet moment that made it all worth it. After three-hundred and fifty-two attempts, Nikki kicked it upwards a nd kicked once more after that.

“I finally did it! God this game sucks!” Nikki cheered.

“Thank Christ, I was about to break my own legs if you didn’t get it.” Max sneered at his green-haired friend.

Nikki slapped Max’s shoulder and rolled her eyes at his cynical comedy, she was unable to be mad at Max for too long. Her fingers intertwined with Max’s and faced him with the biggest smile he had ever seen.

“I appreciate it, Max, you’re not that big of an ass after all.” Nikki quipped and pulled the tan boy closer to her.

Max remembered that moment so vividly. It was one of the first times he saw the specks of gold in Nikki’s eyes. They were glowing with the setting sun that was positioned behind her.

Max could relive that moment over and over again. It was one of the few moments where he truly smiled, not smirked, but smiled. He felt the urge to close the gap between them, but he was interrupted by a very annoyed Neil who was fuming from his discussion about evolution vs creationism.

Suddenly, Max was snapped from his memory by the sound of fighting. Max looked up towards Gigi and Maisie that were practically in a fist fight. Gigi was stomping her feet like a toddler while Maisie was taking out her earrings and handing them to Chrissy. _Oh shit_. Max jumped to his feet to stop the fight, but as always, Nikki sprung from the bushes to face danger head-on. The danger was the hormonal adolescent homicide, but still, danger.

“What is the problem, guys! I already stitched up one kid, I’m not doing it again!” Nikki grabbed the arms of both girls and held them up in the air like dolls.

“She started it!” Both of them scream.

“This bitch-”

“Excuse me?”

The two girls began to try to scratch each other and swung their arms like animals. Max, who was already over the girlish drama, grabbed onto Gigi and held her farther away so they could not grab each other anymore. They’re like chihuahuas.

“Listen, we can do this the easy way, where Nik and I let you go without any mental damage, or we give you both to David who will most likely sing you two to death.” Max swung Gigi slightly.

“Fine! Maisie called me trashy and poor so I threatened to choke her with her Chanel belt!” Gigi screamed.

“And I said if she touched me I would sue her for her last few pennies. AND IT'S LOUIS VUITTON!” Maisie thrashed like a shark.

Max finally saw something that he was missing all day. The other kids had these bright yellow Camp shirts while Gigi’s was faded and had stains on it. Her glasses were too large for head and had a crack in the temples that was fixed by super glue. Her shoes were also torn apart and held together by duct tape. It hit Max instantly and so did the guilt. The whole day he did not realize that Gigi might actually be poor? Or just not as well off? Either way, Max felt shitty about how he was treating her.

“Well, both of you are in the wrong. We do NOT fight or make fun of our fellow campers. Unless it’s Fight Club Camp. Or Roast Camp. But that’s not for another two weeks!” Nikki announced.

She placed Maisie back on her feet but gave her a stern look; Max followed in suit and placed Gigi on the ground. Max placed a protective hand on Gigi’s head.

“Just so you know Maisie, and everyone else here, we do not take this shit lightly. Do it again and I will make sure your ass is on the first bus back to wherever you came from-actually no! I’ll send your ass to the Wood Scouts if you want to act like a rich asshole. We already have enough of them in power, we don’t need any of them here at Camp. You hear me?” Max yelled.

Max hadn’t yelled like this in years. Usually, he has a satirically sound to it, but it was serious. His face was a bright red and his voice was straining on every word. He wanted to scream even more, but he knew these were just children. They needed to get a reality check.

“Yes, I get it,” Maisie said in a mousey voice. “I’m sorry.” Her eyes met with Gigi’s.  
Gigi nodded and said nothing more. Nikki dispersed the group to go to the Activity Grounds for their own personal camp time. Everybody left quickly so that Max would not unleash the rest of his anger, but Gigi lingered a little longer.

“Thank you. I still think you’re an asshole, but thank you.” Gigi whispered to Max.

“I’m sor-so. Fucking Christ. Sorry! I’m sorry too. For being a dick.” Max replied making Gigi chuckle.

“It’s okay. We all need a dick in our life I guess.” Gigi laughed. They were sure she was trying to be sincere but it all came out so, so very wrong.

“Okay so you’re like ten so please don’t say that.” Max scoffed and pushed her along.

Gigi marched over with Alfie to their activities. As soon as they were out of sight Max just exhaled and hit himself. He felt like the biggest dick in the world. He was shitting on a girl who was obviously already having a shit time in life. _Why am I the worst?_

“Max, don’t beat yourself up too much okay. You didn't know.” Nikki assured him, her hands rubbing his back.

“I’m a dick. I don’t know why David even lets me be around kids. I’m just going to fuck them up.” His blue eyes scanned the floor so they would not have to meet Nikki’s.

“Because he knows the real Max. You’re cynical, you act like you hate everything, but you care a lot, Max. You care so much.” Nikki spun Max so he had to look at her. He recoiled in fear of what she was going to do. “You care so much about those kids. You care for David and Gwen even Neil. No matter how hard you try to hide it. I can see it.”

Nikki put her hands on his face and shook him, trying to knock any sense into his thick head. Max did not know what to say back, he did not care. He kept saying he didn’t care but he hated to see those kids be hurt because he saw himself. He saw the self-loathing that Chrissy radiated when he saw her earlier that morning. He saw the embarrassment that Gigi acted out on because of the fact she did not have as much money as the other kids. Max saw himself in those actions and it pissed him off.

“OKAY! I care. A little. Why does it matter? I’m a dick.” Max grabbed her hands and placed them between his.

“Because Max, you care a lot but you don’t admit. You treat David and Neil like garbage. You treat Gwen like a failure. You treat me like an outsider. We’re your friends and family. You need to start treating us like it because you never know when you’re going to leave again.” Nikki confessed, her eyes dipped down and she looked upset.

“I, uh, please...tears,” Max tried to find words to say. He never realized that he was affecting them that much.

“It’s okay Max. Just please, this is the time to start over. Compliment Gwen. Give David a salute. Call Neil for Christ sakes and talk to him like you use to.” Nikki laughed and pulled her hands away. “I’m going to go check on the campers. I believe in you, Max.”

Nikki turned and walked to away as if she did not set off the emotional bomb that destroyed Max. He never knew that his words, his actions, were creating a rift. Well yes, he did. He wanted that rift. He did not want them to care about him, he wanted to be able to drift away, possibly die, and they would forget about him. No, that couldn’t happen. Max did treat them all like garbage. He treated the only people that cared for him like parents like they were monsters. He treated Neil, the only person who knew his every thought and secret like he was a stranger that needed to be harassed for some wrongdoing. The worst of all he treated Nikki like she didn’t exist at all. Max felt like hitting something. He wanted to scream and punch a tree so that something else could understand the pain he had in his chest. But he did not. He grabbed his phone and quickly dialed a familiar number.

“Pick up...pick up…”

There were several noises on the other line, none were picking up. Max had never wished more for a response than in that moment. Thankfully, he heard the groggy voice on the other end.

“Max? You do understand I just got off my flight to Boston and I’m like sooooo exhausted.” Neil whined into the phone. Max wanted to make a rude comment but he held back.

“Oh, sorry. I just wanted to talk.” Max heard Neil making a weird noise as if he was surprised. “I know. Just know...I’m sorry and I just need to talk.” Max took a seat on a barren and burnt log.

“Oh, sure we can talk Max. Anything for you.”

_Anything for you?_ Max felt that pain dim a little. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Max sighed and looked towards the water. Ready to talk to Neil about everything. Like Nikki said, this is the time to start over and he’s not going to take it for granted. Not Neil, not Gwen, not even David. But especially Nikki.

“What do you want to talk about?” Neil asked again with a yawn.

“A lot of things Neil. My parents. What happened after I left. But I’d like to start about..about..fuck.” Max made sure no one was around. “Nikki. I think I like Nikki.”

There was a pause on the phone that seemed to last forever. Max began to think that Neil thought this was a joke, but it was not a joke.

“I FUCKING KNEW IT!”

_Shit_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, guys. Serious question. Which past camper do you wanna see more of? I already have Neil plans of course but who is your favorite that you want to see more of?  
> Also, who do you think the mother of David's kids are?  
> I would love to know and I can't wait for you guys to find out what's next!


	7. Coming to Terms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaack...right before I have to start school on Monday but that's alright! It took me a while to write this because I never know how to write Nikki and I didn't know how to continue with the story. Now I have a slight idea so expect more updates. Also, read the end note for some other cool things!! Enjoy!

“What the fuck are you talking about? I just realized this like twelve seconds ago.” Max felt his cheeks get redder by the second.

  
“Are you kidding me? Do you know how many times I’ve caught you two holding hands?” Neil laughed uncontrollably. This was probably the most embarrassing moment of Max’s life.

Max looked around to see if anyone else was around but he was completely alone. Max wanted to explain everything to Neil but he was being a jackass at the moment.

“I’m surprised that you, the only person I have ever known to tell a murderous cultist to suck your dick, are just now saying you like Nikki. You can cut the sexual tension with a chainsaw.”

“I get it, Neil! I’m entirely void of emotion except for hatred okay! Except with Nikki. Like I can’t explain...like I just...it’s.”

Max searched for the words that plagued his mind. It was indescribably the way she lit up his entire body with just her eyes. There had been so many moments where he wanted to kiss her but did not realize it. That stupid puberty body was right, she was hot. But she was also intelligent and his partner in crime. There no other person he wanted to set off rockets and plan a mutiny with. Max could only think of a word that made him nauseous.

“Wait..are you IN LOVE with Nikki?” Neil squealed like a little girl.

“No! Maybe. I don’t know. That’s not even what I originally wanted to talk about.” Max wanted to divert this conversation so bad. The feelings that were erupting in his stomach were not complimentary with the enchiladas he just ate.

“Okay talk to me then.” Max hesitated for a minute while Neil waited patiently. “If it’s your parents then I’m here for that too.”

That’s what needed to be said. The Nikki conversation could be held off for a little while. Max needed to talk about everything about his family. The secrets he kept so hidden needed to be unleashed now.

“Yeah, my parents.” Max bit his lip and clutched his phone tightly. “That day...they...took me back home. Neil, I told you they were bad but like they were really bad.” Max stopped to check a third time for anybody walking by. “The years I was gone they...well beat me. Screamed at me. Starved me. Neil, it was hell. It wasn’t always like that but after they picked me up from Camp it was worse. They…”

Max choked on his words. The tears that were held in for almost eighteen years were now fighting to come out. The brown-skinned boy stopped for a minute to regain his thoughts. He never ever wanted Neil of all people to hear him cry. God, he was turning soft.

“They threatened to kill me if I spoke about this and they were not kidding. A month after I came home they... my dad tried to fucking slit my throat okay.” Max choked on his words again. He softened his tone so that nobody could hear him; the last thing he needs is David to be crying because a camper overheard Max talking on the phone.

“Are you fucking kidding me? That’s disgusting. They need to be put in jail.” Neil sounded the most concerned he’d ever been. Max froze at his words though, unsure how it would even be possible.

“Neil, I’m trusting you to not telling anybody alright.” Max muffled his strained voice. “Neil promise me. I’m going to be here for a while so I’ll figure out some way of running away.”

“Fine, I promise. What do your...I can’t call them parents they’re just assholes. What do they think you’re doing while you’re at camp?” Neil actually cared and it was bizarre for Max to hear something other than disappointed screaming or threats.

“Nothing. I told them I’m leaving and hitchhiking to New York from California. My mom didn't care. My dad said if he saw my mutilated body on the news he wasn’t going to claim me.

That it would be too much trouble to bury me themselves.”

Max had never uttered the phrases that his parents said to him. The threats and comments almost felt unreal when they left his mouth; like they were just fairy tales he made up in his fucked mind. But they were real and scary. This was the life he had to endure for years.

“Fuck Max. Let’s hope Gwen gets that psychology degree so she can get you some help. I’m surprised you haven’t murdered all your campers yet.” Both boys let out a dry laugh.

“Yeah, they’re actually not that bad.”

Neil and Max talked for a little while longer on the phone. They diverted from the depressing matters at hand and just talked like friends again, it was bizarre but actually comforting. They ended their call with shitty sarcasm like always.

“I’ll talk to you later Max. You better get your shit together though or I’ll take the first plane back to that hell hole!” Neil snickered.

“You’re shitty. Bye kid.”

  
Max placed his phone in his pocket and made his way over to the campers. It was such a relief that Neil was actually his friend. Like a real friend that did not use him as a scapegoat to huff paint or to buy him booze with his fake ID. Neil listened to him, made fun of him, and joked around just like when they were kids.

Max arrived at the Activity Grounds to watch over his campers. David was running around with his daughters and another ginger camper. Nikki was talking to Chrissy and Westley as they were mixing together sketchy chemicals. Gwen was leaning on a bench while reading some trashy magazine while her kids were fighting over paint supplies. This was the new normal for the summer. Max paced around the grounds, watching all the campers participate in their talents.

“Mr. Max, do you know which of these chemicals will make a big boom?” Westley asked while showing him three red vials of liquid.

“Uh...I would usually say to test it on Space Kid, so...just try them all.” Max shrugged.

Nikki stifled a laugh while she tried to help Westley find the right chemical that would make an explosion, but won’t cause too much radioactive poisoning. Max watched the volcano of fluids erupted from the cylinder, which gained lots of oohs and ahhs from the campers. Nikki high fived Westley and then turned to Max.

“Great job kid. Write that down, you never know when you might need it.” Max patted Westley on the back in approval.

Westley scribbled down the chemicals in a notebook while nodding his head. Max counted off the possibilities in his head on what to use it for; it most definitely was going to end up in David’s coffee at some point this summer. Max was suddenly taken out of his scheming by a tap on his shoulder. He turned and met eyes with Gwen, who he was now towering over. She had a suspicious smile glowing on her face.

“So Mr. Asshole seems to be enjoying his time here.” Gwen nudged him while snickering.

“Shut up, it’s only been half a day. I’m just happy to not be at home anymore.” Max watched the kids working on their activities so that he wouldn’t have to look at Gwen. She knew him better than David.

Gwen had a talent for sensing Max’s bullshit. She knew whenever he was lying and when he was up to some plot against David. She would keep quiet if she found it amusing, but she would be the first one to snap him back into his place. She was the motherly figure that he never had.

“You’re doing a great job here Gwen. Seriously, I know this isn’t what you planned for yourself but you’re doing a lot of good.” Gwen looked at him, stunned.

“Well...well thank you, Max. I wish I could have been like this when you were here.”

“You were. I just wish I could’ve stayed longer to appreciate it.” Max looked over at Gwen and smirked. “But I guess I have all summer to show you how much I missed you.”

Max bumped his body into Gwen’s playfully. She laughed, fully knowing he was serious but still accepting his antics. There was only him and Nikki so it was all going to be brawn, not brain from Neil. Almost as if Nikki was reading their minds, she sauntered over with this biggest smile on her face.

“I think someone is in love…” Nikki giggled.

Max jumped at her comment.

“What? Who? How’d you find out?” Max froze in fear. His first thought was to murder Neil and then maybe move to Thailand.

“Alfie and Gigi! They’ve been making eyes all day.” Nikki laughed, pointing to the duo who were admiring each other from afar. “Who’d you think?”

Max shrugged. Whatever nonsense that might come from his mouth would be a shit so he kept quiet. He listened to the girls talk about the camp while he supervised the children. David was nowhere to be found though, neither was his kids. They looked oddly unlike David though. The youngest one maybe looked a lot like him, but something was nagging at him. He could not figure out who the mom would be. Max had to ask, but what if they’re like fish-hybrids like the ones Gwen wrote about? It seemed impossible that David would ever be intimate with a woman. Max was sure David was gay until he was dating Bonquisha. Max entertained the idea on Bonquisha being their mother, but they would probably be louder. And you know, black. They seemed pretty tan though, so it was a possibility.

“Hey, earth to asshole,” Gwen shook Max. “Were you listening or not?”

“No, I was busy making sure our kids don’t...you know...die.” Max smugly replied.

Nikki rolled her eyes and placed a gentle hand on his arm. Her delicate fingers squeezed him as a sign to calm down a little. Max was just playing, but Nikki was serious about being nicer to Gwen.

“Well, I was asking you if you filled out any paperwork or not. David always forgets because he’s busy chasing the girls around and planning camp stuff.”

“No, he didn’t mention it to me. I think he was occupied by the forest fire I started.” Gwen shook her head and smiled.

“You are my favorite shithead Max. I wish I could've been there to see it. 9I’ll get the paperwork for you guys. You’re both eighteen right?”  
  
Max was not. Well, almost. His birthday was in less than a week, but he never celebrated it. He never remembered his own birthday unless the topic was brought up. One summer, almost a month into camp, Neil had asked about his birthday and when everyone found out they missed it, they freaked out. Max hated the attention. He had to tackle Space Kid from telling David because if David found out he would never hear the end of it. David would throw the stupidest, sappiest party to make up for lost time. Max didn’t want that. He just wanted to forget it.

“Yeah pretty much.”

Max could have sworn that he saw Nikki glare at him, but he wasn’t sure. She probably knew his birthday, he knew hers. December 13th. The first year of knowing each other Max saved all his money to buy Nikki a bow and arrow. Like a professional set because she had become obsessed with archery at the end of the summer. He remembered getting a call from her a week after where she gushed about the mayhem she had caused. It brought a weird warmth in Max. He missed it.

“Max, does Gwen still not know when your birthday is?” Nikki narrowed her eyes at him. Although he felt nervous, he was slightly turned on. Gross post-puberty feelings.

“She’s never asked.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

Nikki punched him lightly and stuck her tongue out. She was clearly annoyed but Max loved it. She looked frustrated and it was hilarious.

“What can I say Nik? No one asks the poor Indian boy.” Max scoffed.  
Nikki lunged to hit him again but Max grabbed her wrists and stopped her. Nikki laughed trying to escape him but Max was stronger. Nikki and Max spun around, Nikki trying to push herself into Max while he tried to push her away. They danced around each other, their laughs sounding like snorts and hiccups.

“You’re an ass, Max Reddy!” Nikki claimed between hard laughs. Max spun her around and trapped her in his arms.

“Using full names are we? Whatever you say, Nicolette Amelia Bradshaw.” Nikki thrashed and screamed at her name.

“I hate my full name! I didn’t use your middle name.” Nikki struggled again but her laughs made her weak.

“That’s because you can’t pronounce it.”

Nikki laughed while trying to say it. Ajatashatru is a hard name to say in general, but saying it while in tears laughing made it worse. What came out of Nikki’s mouth was a mix of vowels and cackles. Max broke down laughing too, falling over from laughter and the weight of Nikki bringing him down. There they laid on the ground trying to compose themselves.  
Max gazed down at the beautiful girl laughing in his lap. He was captivated by her and her sparkling eyes and hilarious laugh. He could spend every day looking at her like this. His insides turned mushy again, he just had to come to terms that he will forever be a bowl of hot goo that was falling for Nikki. Max leaned forward to face Nikki who was calming down.

“Max...Aja...Max,” Nikki paused once she realized how close they were.

Max didn’t know what he was doing, he just felt the heat radiating off her skin on his cheeks. They were closer than they had been in years. Max could feel the tingles of her stray hairs on his forehead. His eyes glanced over at her lips, wanting to know how they would feel against his. Both their faces flamed up in a soft pink.

“Uh...why are you both on the floor?” A blaring voice said behind them.

Max and Nikki recoiled backward and looked at their group of kids watching them with tilted heads. Maisie had posed the question, her hands placed on her hips as if she was demanding an answer.

“I was proving a point to Nikki that her white name isn’t that bad.” Nikki backhanded his shoulder with annoyance.

“I should’ve let the bears eat you.” Nikki quipped. She stood up and gained composure. “What do you kids need?”

“Well, we were gonna ask you guys if we can go back to our tents before lunch but…”

Nikki’s face contorted into a twisty smirk. Max could see the wheels turning in her head and that means something bad was going to happen.

“I’ll take you guys there. I need to talk to you all about something anyway.” Nikki smiled wickedly and turned to Max. “Payback will be sweet my friend.”

Nikki put a guiding arm behind the group and marched off to the tents. Max knew it was not going to be good. He eerily had a feeling it was about his birthday, but he hoped for the best. He hoped he would have frog urine in his coffee mug in the morning, but Nikki had already done that four times to Cameron Campbell. He never noticed, and he actually seemed to like it more with the additive.

Max waited until the other unimportant, unnamed campers left the area so he could go back to his cabin. He wanted to rest for a little bit, it’s been a long day and he wanted to figure out how he would survive the rest of the summer. He also had to figure out what to do after the summer. He couldn’t go back home. He had to find a place to stay until he could find a job after the summer. Max tried to find a way to get all his belongings from his parent's house, but it would be difficult to do it without his parents interfering. Luckily, he would be eighteen soon and he would be free.

Max was crossing through the center of the camp to get to his cabin when he saw David again. He saw the three girls running around him, laughing and screaming about something. David smiled over at Max and waved him down.

“How was the afternoon Co-Counselor Max!” David saluted him.

“Fine, I guess.” Max walked past him but was stopped by Lou.

Her eyes were like saucers staring up at him. Lou had one hand her hip and the other on her forehead in a salute. She stood on her toes to get a little taller but Max was a giant compared to her.

"Camp salute mister!" She ordered.

It was only then Max saw how much Lou looked like David. They both had the daydreaming eyes and camping spirit. She was only a toddler but she was a spitting image of a young Davie. Louise was just a little darker and had more spunk that David could ever muster.

"Louise, it's alright-"

Max straightened himself up and saluted the stupid flag. Did it crush his inner spirit? Yes. Did Max want to vomit from the horrendously spirited salute? Of course. But, Max saluted the flag, Lou, and David while hiding his discomfort. A gasp escaped David's lip and he jumped to hug Max.

"Okay, okay get off of me! This is a one-time thing." Max grumbled under his breath. David had tears flowing down his face. "Your daddy is a weirdo."  
Lorelai and Ivy nodded in agreement while Lou laughed at her dad's tears. Max pushed David away, his skin was stinging from the unwanted affection.

"I'm sorry Max. I'm just so happy!" David wiped his tears away proudly.

Max rolled his eyes, walking towards his cabin. He felt really gross. He didn't like the hugs David gave him, even as a kid. Max never felt like he deserved it. Even when Neil would side hug him, he would push him away quickly. It stung his skin. Maybe it was years of abuse, maybe he just wasn't a touchy kind of person. It was only when Nikki hugged him did he accept it. Her hugs were soft and she smelled like daisies, mainly because she would roll around in the flower beds but he enjoyed it anyway.  
Max flopped on his bed, sighing in relief that he had a free half an hour before he had to round the kids up for a hike. The schedule David had put together was extensive and tiring. Max could not imagine David doing this every day, every summer, without some of those drug filled cookies the Flower Scouts sold. Max curled into the mattress and tried to de-stress.

This summer would be his last before he had to figure out everything. Max contemplated on asking David to stay at his place for a while, but that would be awkward. He would be living with David, possible wife, and his kids. Max doubted they lived in a big enough place, so that was off the list. Maybe he could stay at the camp? Too dirty and boring. He thought of Neil and staying with him, but it would most likely not work. Neil would have his dorky friends around and he'd probably be embarrassed to bring Max around them.  
Max hated getting older. Eighteen was supposed to be an exciting time with college parties, stealing drinks, and doing stupid shit. Max knew his 'friends' back home were probably high out of their mind right now, maybe going out to a party or concert to get more wasted. That sounded like paradise to Max.

Laughter came from the window above Max's bed. It sounded like his kids were doing something fun; he could hear the girls high pitched squealing and screams and the sound of splashing. Max sat up and peered out the window to see them having an impromptu water balloon fight. Alfie was guarding Gigi against an attack from Maisie and Westley. Chrissy and Iggy were standing next to Nikki with a bucket of more balloons. Nikki was smiling, sunglasses over her eyes and a balloon in her hands. She saw Max staring and gave him a wave over.

"No way! I know all your dirty tricks." Max replied. Nikki launched a balloon towards the cabin and it hit the side of the window.

"Come on Max! You afraid of a challenge?"

Nikki knew what to say to get Max to agree to anything. He could not decline any kind of challenge. Although getting drenched in the disgusting plumbing or lake water was the last thing he wanted, he couldn't say no. Max jumped from his bed and threw his shirt off. Max rounded the corner, getting a smirk from Nikki who was already prepared with several water balloons.

Gigi and Alfie ran to his rescue, blocking the balloons and handing their own bucket of balloons to him. Gigi gave him a thumbs up and ran after Maisie with a giant balloon in her hand. Max chucked the balloons at Nikki, only missing her because she was using Iggy as a shield. He finally got a hit when she turned to grab another balloon. Max laughed at her, flipping her the bird while running to grab another.

"You ass!" Nikki screamed.

Nikki picked up the bucket and ran at him while screaming some animal language. Max scattered to find a shield but Chrissy had tackled his legs so he could not move. The rush of cold water fell over Max with twenty water balloons exploding over him. Usually, Max would be pissed about it, but he felt overjoyed. He loved seeing the mischevious smile on Nikki's face and the laughter coming from the campers.

Just a couple of minutes ago Max was wishing he was high with some stupid stoners, and now he felt content. Max looked at the kids and Nikki, they all looked so happy. The resentment and awkwardness that had started this day so horribly had now melted away. Max smiled, genuinely smiled, and thought for a moment, just one single moment, that this summer...might not be that bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So quick things!  
> I haven't revealed the mother to David's kids yet because I hadn't fully decided until now. She will be revealed in the next chapter or two. And yes, all your favorite campers will be back for something special.  
> The other thing I wanted to discuss was Daniel. As much as I love Daniel, he does not fit with the narrative I have written, but I do have an idea with him for a one shot. Someone in the comments suggested an amazing idea with the kids and Daniel so I might write a one-shot in the next coming weeks. I'll keep you all updated!  
> If you want to suggest anything else, just comment! I love hearing from you all and I'm happy you're enjoying my story! Thank you all for everything so far, and I can't wait to write more!


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